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It essentially goes straight down to the oil pan, which is why they're able to mount the dipstick in it. The tube goes into a hole in the back of the block, and that hole goes straight down into the pan. You can see the parts here:

If you take the pan off, you'll be able to get the gasket out, but it should sit at the bottom of the pan relatively safely. Something that size isn't likely to get kicked up into the crankshaft and rods. If you're really lucky, it might come out during an oil change.

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I did see that diagram but wasn’t 100% positive. The object fell off a broken oil cap while removing the dipstick. Somehow this sizable chunk landed in there and just spiraled right in. I believe some of the missing part was already separated. About 1/4” wide but not straight as you can see.

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Drop the piece you have left into the used oil and see if it floats or sinks. If it floats that's not good news, but I don't think the piece that fell in is catastrophically big. But that's just my opinion, it's your engine!

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Right. Good points made by all, and, yes, I’ve been researching about dropping the oil pan.

On that score, I have been looking at videos but cannot make out one detail well: Does the pump suck oil up (with the filter pointed down) and the lowest point of the pan serving as a sump? If so, is there any space between that intake filter and the floor of the pan? I suppose the junk sticks against gravity and my missing piece might settle out as previously suggested?

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